​​​A Fun place for Kids! & Grown-ups too!

Q & A

Answers

Kids often want to stay in the adult world way after they should. Keep in mind, kids need plenty of sleep and parents need their own space and time away from the children too.

Follow these essential guidelines for children’s bedtimes:

- Distinguish between being in bed and being in the bedroom.

- Have a set routine such as "quiet time, drink and story", which signals the end of the day and stick to it.

- Try to make bedtime enjoyable and fun so they want to go to bed.

- Be firm! Resist procrastination and cries for "one more story."

2) How do I get my child to understand that NO means NO?

NO is a complete sentence. It doesn’t always require an explanation. Many times children will often keep pestering their parents until they get a favorable response.

Try these anti-pestering ideas:

- Establish a “NO means NO“ policy at home.

- Ignore tantrums as a result of your NO. They are devised to make you change your mind!Also, advise them of the consequence if the negative behavior persists, & stick to it! (your consistency is key!)

- Make sure you & your spouse, or co-parent are on the same page, so that your kids know that you both have the same view.

- Take a parent time-out when they pester you. Move away or pretend the kids aren’t there. It’s super-effective!

3) How do I help my child with homework?

Parents can help children develop sound study habits by starting early on, from a young age, which includes establishing a predictable routine, encouraging effective use of time and helping them to be organized.

How to help:

- Establish a good studying area.

- Establish a predictable routine.

(Immediately after school...or right after snack...etc)

- Encourage them to become more organized by planning homework around their extra-curricular activities.

- Dont be afraid to approach the teacher for assistance & also encourage your child to ask for help while in class if they don't understand an assignment

- Try to make homework time as pleasant as possible, butbe realistic, don’t expect to solve all homework difficulties.

4) How do I start getting my kids to be more independent when I've always done everything?

Try to purposely avoid doing certain things for them, so that they can begin to overcome their dependency on you.

Starting pointers:

- Make sure they do a mixture of self-help activities and activities that help others.

- Resist tantrums and other negative behaviors that they may use to make you change your mind!

- Start small. You can start by asking them to assist you with setting the table for instance. Step by step, you can add more tasks, working up to helping you with the meal prep. Next thing you know...Voila! They're ready to make a small meal.☺ Now, they'll have the confidence to tackle even bigger things.☺

- Draw up a list of chores that you can ask them to do daily or weekly (make beds, clean room...etc) or something that's a few times each week.( Note: starting an allowance for completed weekly chores is a great incentive & very effective!)

- Lastly...Start NOW!

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5) My child is being bullied and won’t let me tell his teacher, what should I do?

Bullying thrives in a culture of secrecy.

Bullies do need to be exposed, however, adults also need to be sensitive to the wishes of their children who are bullied.

Often, fear of reprisal prevents children from talking about, or reporting bullies at school. And unfortunately, bullying usually doesn’t go away by itself, an intervention of some sort is often needed. ​

- Remain Calm - Listen to your child - Get the full facts

- Try to talk to your child's teacher privately, before exposing the bully. Ask that the playground staff & the staff in every other class your child attends, is on high alert. If the bully is caught in the act, they can be reprimanded & it will be a lot easier for your child to cope without having to possibly feel like, a "Tattle tale".

- If this isn't possible, then proceed with the normal procedures the school adheres to in this situation.